The Flywheel

Program for AUGUST 10th

Dr. Martha Cambell, President of
Venture Strategies for
Health & Development

Attention to population growth in the world's poorest
countries, a nearly invisible subject over the past decade,
has recently been revived by a series of eight hearings
in the British Parliament, focusing on the the population
factor's impact on the slow pace of development, education,
health and efforts to preserve the environment.

Martha
Campbell was the principal advisor to these hearings
and its report over the past 18 months, shuttling between
Berkeley and London. She will talk about the report's
findings - which are counter to much of the recent
news about declining populations in Europe and Japan
- and also about her scale-conscious nonprofit organization.
Dr. Campbell is a lecturer in the School of Public
Health at UC Berkeley and is the founder and president
of Venture Strategies for Health and Development.

MEETING OF August 3rd, 2007

Welcome, Invocation, Thought for the Day

Prez Pam rang the bell and got someone
to do the pledge of allegiance. Henry Kelman shared
his thought for every day, “It is good to be here
and be thankful for awakening to another day.’” X-Prez Stony
Stonework observed a moment of silence for peace
and freedom around the world.

Visiting Rotarians

None

Rotarians with Guests

David Brown introduced his guest Harlin
Baum from the Technion in Isreal. David
explained that Caltech is the Technion of the United
States.

Sunshine Report

Herb Cole, filling in for an absent-gone-fishin’,
David K. said that Elof Granberg is
going to remain at Summer View Manor another month
and that he REALLY appreciates a call or a visit,
so give him a call or a visit.

Herb expressed condolences to Sid Chauvin as his
32 year old niece passed away very suddenly.

Announcements

Opportunity West, in partnership with City
of Richmond Nevin Community Center and Bay Area Art
& Music, is hosting a sizzling musical fundraiser this
Saturday, August 11th, from 11AM to 9 PM, at Maple
Hall, in San Pablo. Lots of great gospel, jazz, and
blues music. For more information download
flyer.
Visit website.

The Poker Game Fund Raiser (or loser) will be held
August 10th at the Hotel Mac. Proceeded by dinner
the game starts at 7:30 PM. David “You-want-a-piece-of-me?” Brown challenged
all comers and Glenn Daggs said “YES!”

Glenn Daggs is circulating the sign-up
list for $100 Peres Teacher Support contributions.

Erle Brown announced the upcoming
RI Foundation Fund Day “at Marine World or whatever
it is called now”, in Vallejo, October 6th. Raffle
tickets will be available including admission. Raffle
ticket purchases count for your Paul Harris but are
not tax deductible. Amongst other things. The
Erle also said the club has reached 10%+ membership
in the Paul Harris Society. Someone wondered
out “very” loud if Erle was today’s
program. (Even your Editor had to wonder
if Erle was putting in a bid for the club’s “dollar-a-word” special
designation, traditionally held by Herb Cole.)

Recognitions

Joe ‘Joey Baggs” Bagley started
recognitions with a club favorite:

Ralph Hill. Joey made the
point that between Ralph’s exciting and exotic
trips to Lake Merritt and Montalvo Manor, he has celebrated
59 years as a member of Richmond Rotary. Ralph
used the occasion to inform Program Speaker and Guest
Council Member Ludmyrna Lopez that it was a Rotary
tradition that on one’s 48 club anniversary you
get a hug and a kiss from a City Council member, and,
he did not get his 11 years ago, wink wink, nudge nudge. Prez
Pam quickly assured Ralph that he would get his belated
hug and kiss just as soon as Council Members Tom Butt
or Tony Thurmond arrived. Such Irony!

Joey Baggsthen called on Bud
Martin to recognize his most recent of many
B-Days. Bud said he planned
to celebrate by heading south to visit his kids.

Joeythen asked Stony Stonework how
many anniversaries he has celebrated in the Club. Stony
said it would be 13 Sunday and he had a check for the
Rotary Foundation.

Then Joey Baggs lead the Happy and Sad Dollar shuffle:

Bob Dabney had Happy $$$ for getting
his son married off in the Southland even though it
was in a place he could never afford to get married.

Pas DG Werner Schwarz had Happy
$ for surviving the last to weeks and his most recent
Colonoscopy. Or as Werner later said, “You
know I was on television last week…”

Capt. Frank Desplancke had Happy
$$ for a very successful “Childspree” at
Mervin’s last Saturday morning. Capt. Frank
said 64 children received $100 in pick-it-yourself
new cloths for school.

Schools Superintendent Bruce Harter had
Happy $40 for the positive West County Times editorial
supporting Measure G, the mail-in ballot that will
extend, and in the case of industrial properties, increase
the current parcel tax that supports the WCCUSD minimalist
offerings in art, sports and what we used to call “electives”. Vote
by mail by August 18th, no polls will be open.

Herb “dollar-a-word” Cole had
a Happy $5 for the Childspree event and told the story
of the child he help who said, “I really like
new underwear”, Herb noting that he probably
didn’t get much of anything new, including underwear. This
is of course Herb’s subtle way of suggesting
more members ought to consider supporting the program
next time Capt. Frank puts
out the call.

Stony Stonework had a Happy $5 for Werner going
into the car wash business, ???

Mike Gill had a Happy $5 for the
just completed jazz CD of Sam Goldsmith a gifted vibes
player form Berkeley HS. See Mike if you’d
like to buy a copy. Joey Baggs vibed
in that it is “really good jazz”.

X-Prez, lovely Leslie Levy had a
Happy $5 for the simple fact that her two adolescent
sons were enjoing pre-adult” summer fun at Reggie
on the River. Cool!
And Leslie said that without any prior knowledge of what
kind of trouble they could be actively considering!

Raffle Results

DON’T THAT BEAT ALL! An all new raffle with
all the balls and $72. Barbara M. gets
the call and the fourth time at bat in the last year
AND, SHE GETS THE ORANGE BALL or 2 homers out of four
tries. Batting 500 Barbara, wish the A’s
could do that.

THE PROGRAM

Richmond City Councilmember Ludmyrna Lopez

Bob
Dabney did the honors of introducing our Program
speaker and one of the newest Richmond City Council Members,
Ludmyrna “Myrna” Lopez. Myrna is a
local girl who learned how to pay attention helping her
mother in the fabric store before attending Cal State
Hayward/East Bay, a summer fellowship at Cal and then
receiving a full ride scholarship to Carnegie Mellon
University in Pittsburg PA where she completed a Masters
Degree in Public Policy. After doing a mind numbing
stint at the EPA in Washington DC Myrna returned to the
Bay Area and now has the honor of serving the community
on City Council, with special interest in the Finance
Committee.

Myrna departed from the usual city politico rep. description
of what they think would be best for the city and provided
an informative review of what’s actually going
on in City Hall with emphasis on the City’s improving
financial condition, and, where new revenues are being
applied to public works. Myrna confirmed (you
heard it first here in “The Flywheel”) that
the City’s bond rating, because of improving
administration and budgeting, has been elevated from
junk to “A” status, i.e. investment grade. An
important technical development that will save the city
millions in future interest costs as it pursues renovation
of public infrastructure and assets. She described
in some detail the major renovation of the Civic Center,
expansion of the police force, “funding” of
the city’s future retiree health care costs that
are nagging other local political subdivisions, major
street improvement effort, and, the hoped for expansion
of auto importing at the Port of Richmond. But
your Flywheel is running out of time and space so we
leave you with this important fact from Myrna, the current
city budget has $293MM in total revenue and $282MM in
total expenditures. For those who struggle with
math, that is an $11MM surplus. Here
are some other important comparisons from the Richmond
budget dark days of 2003 and 2007 presented by Myrna:

Public
Purpose Expenditure

2003

2007

Street Repair

$ 2,800,000

$12,000,000

Street Lighting

66,000

1,000,000

Parks

3,000,000

8,000,000

Library

3,900,000

6,500,000

Public Safety

$36,000,000

$57,000,000

Editor’s Note – These numbers have not been double
checked but are believed to be fundamentally accurate.

Hey, some things do improve!

Your Rotating Editor, Jim Young

Upcoming Programs

August 17
National Institute for Art and Disabilities (NIAD), Executive
Director Pat Coleman.